Commissioner’s Message

Georgia
Hunting

For as far back as I can remember, I have always felt at home in the outdoors. Growing up in North Georgia, I felt extremely blessed to live in a place with such diverse natural resources. After I first experienced the thrill of the hunt at as a young boy, I found my passion for being a sportsman and knew I wanted to hunt all of Georgia’s game animals. Today, I am proud to still call Georgia my home and am thankful to live in the best state in the country for outdoor adventures.

Georgia’s hunters make up one big, unified family of which I am honored to be a member. Georgia’s sportsmen and women are a community dedicated to preserving our state’s natural resources for future generations. You are the original conservationists and spend the most time, money, and effort of anyone in the state to protect and conserve wildlife. On behalf of the entire Department of Natural Resources, I’d like to thank you for what you do.

Furthermore, your overwhelming support for House Bill 208 has had tremendous benefits for Georgia wildlife conservation. DNR has received additional appropriations totaling $13,000,000 because of HB 208 that will directly be put towards improving access, enhancing opportunities, and bolstering conservation efforts. This means DNR will be opening additional miles of road through Wildlife Management Areas, planting more acres of food plots, building additional artificial reefs along the coast, and growing larger trout –and these are just a few of the projects we are excited to get to work on in the coming months! Furthermore, our Law Enforcement Division is on track to fulfill our long term pledge of hiring an additional 40 Game Wardens, many of them in counties that currently do not have one. None of this would have been possible without your support and dedication to our state’s natural resources.

Our state’s natural beauty is a boundless reflection of the wonder and splendor of God’s creation. Our sportsmen and women such as you make our state the unique and special place that it is. I am proud to have built my life and career in the greatest state in the country. Happy trails this year, and I look forward to seeing you all out in the field!

Mark Williams

Commissioner, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Wildlife Violator Compact

Georgia, along with 45 other states, is a member of the Wildlife Violator Compact (WVC). This allows Wildlife Officers to treat non-residents hunting in WVC member states as if they were a resident of that state in regards to wildlife violations. All wildlife law violators will be held more responsible due to the fact that their illegal activities in one state can affect their hunting privileges in all WVC member states.